Raise your voice: be your own advocate in post-secondary studies

Post-secondary schools are usually well equipped to help students with academic concerns, but knowing who, when and how to ask for help is the student’s responsibility. And being able to speak up is a skill students should have.

As a student in Canada, having some ability to self-advocate with faculty, staff, other students and field placement supervisors is important. If you don’t speak up, there is an assumption that you agree with what is being said or decided. But, if you have concerns or questions, it is entirely appropriate to raise them.

Why you might need to speak up

Universities and colleges can operate like well-oiled machines, but they can also break down and make mistakes. You may find that you are missing important information, you believe an error was made, you are confused about what you need to do to register or graduate, or just about anything in between. This is true for many students, but particularly for those whose situation is complicated by lack of familiarity with the Canadian education system.

Students need to be aware of their rights. For instance, are you entitled to academic accommodations due to a disability? Do you have to accept a grade for a group assignment that was done poorly by others? Should you have to pay for a course that you dropped from your schedule? There may also be times when your circumstances are such that you need special consideration. Knowing how to respond in these situations helps ensure that your rights are protected and that you have the information you need in order to succeed.

Where to turn

In general, you go to your professor for problems that occur in class; for instance, if you disagree with a grade you received on an assignment. You will also go to your professor if you need to make a request for special consideration, such as asking for an extension on an assignment due date or if you need to miss a test due to illness. This will require that you explain your situation and you may be asked to show supporting documentation.

Problems that occur outside of the classroom, such as errors in registration information or an appeal for dropping a class without academic penalty should be taken to the registrar’s office. In considering your complaint, be sure that it is genuine and that you are not at fault yourself.

While post-secondary schools may all handle situations a little differently, they all have staff and procedures for providing information and sorting out problems. People who can help are usually connected to the student government or school administration, and may be called student advocates, lawyers, school ombudsmen or other staff. You can usually find information on the people who can help by looking on the school website or ask at a help desk, a counselling service, student government office or your academic department. You may have to ask several people until you get to the right person or procedure. (Some schools allow you to ask questions through email, which can be useful because you will have information in writing that you can go back to when needed.)

How to help yourself

When raising your issue, be sure to prepare in advance. Do your research, have all the necessary facts and materials. Perhaps write out your concerns in a logical sequence. If you are going to have a meeting, it is important to both listen carefully to what is being said as well as make sure that you have received time to present your point of view. If you find yourself in an emotionally upsetting situation, sometimes it is a good idea to ask to postpone a meeting until you are in good control and can speak politely, rationally and are in a frame of mind to work toward a resolution.

If you still have a problem after you have located and asked the right person for help, you could escalate your request by asking to speak to a supervisor. If you are still unsatisfied, you may want to consider an appeal — a formal process where your request will be evaluated without bias. Being penalized for something that was beyond your control, medical in nature or unfair may be grounds for an appeal.

However, the decision to appeal a decision should not be taken lightly. This can be a difficult and upsetting process. You want to make sure that you are in the right, that you have tried all other means and that the outcome is worth the effort. Consulting with someone neutral who understands the situation can help you make this decision objectively.

Many situations can be resolved easily, but for those other times, be sure to look for help and learn how to advocate for yourself. If we can say there is a Canadian way of doing things, listening, being respectful and working together toward a solution or a compromise could be one.

Geneviève Beaupré and Susan Qadeer have extensive experience working in university and college settings, providing career, academic and personal counselling to international and immigrant students. They write the “Higher Learning” column for Canadian Immigrant magazine.

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